Smooth
by Hanzatsu-Hime
Summary: After celebrating Robin's birthday with the crew, Brook, Franky and the birthday girl herself sit outside on a lovely starry night. The musician has yet to present his gift to her, but thankfully, Franky is right there to help. FrankyxRobin / Frobin love! ONE-SHOT (First fanfic for this couple, so any constructive criticism is appreciated.)


**One Piece**

 **Smooth**

* * *

 **Pairing:** Franky x Nico Robin

 **Rating:** K

 **Timeline:** Post-Zou

* * *

Though every member of the Mugiwara respected one another and thought highly of each other, there was indeed the sense that the three eldest acted as the adults of the crew. It was not something she planned – allying herself with the man who took down her previous boss, let alone become a surrogate mother of sorts to him and her cherished friends – and yet, that was how she had begun to feel over the course of their adventures together.

And it was a feeling that was ever so relevant on her birthday, of all days.

"Did you enjoy your birthday, Robin?" asked the gentleman skeleton from his stance on the deck's staircase. With the night sky overhead, his afro nearly blended with the darkness, and yet the slight hum that emanated from his violin was entirely distinctive.

Smiling from her reading table's adjoining seat, the birthday girl replied, "I did indeed. I was spoiled from the moment I woke up this morning."

"That's not surprising," huffed Franky after taking a heavy swig of his cola, "Girlie showed us what she got you days ago and threatened our lives if we said anything." The other two snickered at the thought, but all the cyborg found himself doing was snapping the lid off of another glass bottle of his precious beverage.

"She was very giving. Getting her presents along with Sanji's breakfast was quite the way to wake up today." Explained Robin.

"Well, Sanji is no better than Nami, since he was making those biscotti for you since early this morning." Brook revealed happily. Why, he even spun a few times on his step while admitting the cook's secret plan to spoil her.

Completely flattered and secretly bashful, all she could manage to say in response was, "Is that so?"

"I think the most excited was Luffy, though right? He had Usopp help him pick out three different stories for you to read to him, and ended up passing out right in the middle of the first one." Chuckling while he spoke, Franky leaned back against the mast and awaited Robin's honest thoughts on such a silly display from their dear captain.

Before she could utter a word, however, the lively musician cut in, "Why is it that he has no books in our library, but enjoys having you read to him so much?"

Robin was surely aware of Luffy's curious preference, but hearing someone say it aloud only made her feel even more special. "I suppose it's easier for him to listen than it is for him to read it on his own."

"And is that Zoro's excuse to? I know he was sleeping while you were reading, but surely he could not sleep through all of Luffy's cheering and questions. I could have sworn that I even saw him frown when you packed up and left the library."

"When were you in the library?" Robin asked, trying to recall seeing the skeleton.

If it could, surely Brook would have been smiling when he answered, "I was just coming down from my bath when you were leaving" – when his responses was met with silent stares, he went on to say – "oh yes, I bathe. I wanted to look nice and clean for the party we had."

A disapproving click came from the shipwright then, as gently mocked, "Then why didn't you just shower in Usopp's sprinkler system for Robin's flowers? He created this whole fancy mechanism just to take the fun out of watering them yourself."

"Says the man who modified a ship so it could fly," Robin pointed out dryly. It was now Brook's turn to laugh as poor Franky had to stop and think about the criticism he had just made. As he mauled her words over, the practical woman decreed, "It will be useful if I need to water certain buds at night, or if we are going to be off of the boat for a long period of time."

"That is true." Agreed the humming swordsman as he sang his words and hopped down the rest of the staircase.

"Chopper's gift was the most inventive, I would have to say. Using his knowledge of chemicals to create a personalized fireworks display was unexpected." In her tone, it was evident just how highly the birthday girl thought of the doctor's present to her.

"Oh it was, wasn't it?" Again, Brook was all too quick to concur with her sentiments, "I always thought that handmade gifts were the most meaningful ones."

Nodding, Robin then casted her gaze to the mast, where a thoughtful Franky was looking as though he was about to speak. Naturally, she had to beat him to the punch, "Just like the reading glasses Franky made me."

"Reading glasses?" Questioned the skeleton, who had no eyes of which to see with.

Proudly, the shipwright smirked and nodded as he flicked his own sunglasses below his eyes. "Yeah, they can magnify what she's looking at so she can read any smaller notes or hard to read text on Poneglyphs, if they have that kind of thing on them." A bulky metal thumb pointed towards him, as if he was implying that he had done a great job on designing such a gift for such a history buff like Robin.

Brook, had he the capabilities, would most likely have been blinking at the man fifty years his junior. "My, that's such a…thoughtful gift. Then that means I am the last one to give you a present."

"Brook," She meant to deter him from spoiling her any further than the rest of the crew had on her special day. And, truth be told, the fact that he was willing to sit on the lawn deck with her at such a late hour was quite sufficient in terms of displaying his featly to her. The birthday girl was genuinely surprised he had yet to ask her to gift _him_ a pair of panties; he had surprised her tonight by truly living up to his title as a gentleman.

Shaking his fluffy, boney head, Brook came to stand before her and bowed most cordially. "Would you honour me with a dance, Robin?" requested the musician with his violin still in hand. His body towered over her as she sat in her seat at her reading table, and she imagined that he would continue to do so when she danced with him.

Even so, the mere offer brought a light giggle to her lips, "I would love to." After depositing her blanket onto the table at her side, Nico Robin rose onto her feet and was silently giddy to be lavished in such a way. With one hand in front of her mouth to hide her slight laughter, she offered the other to the boney hand she expected to guide her as she swayed away the night of her birthday.

"Oh no," Brook surprised her with a sudden faux gasp, "I cannot dance and provide you with the music. Franky, could you take my place as Robin's partner?"

"Wha?" Was the dignified reply from the giant cyborg sitting a few feet away.

Before either one of them could protest or ask him to rescind the offer, his trusty violin was already drawn up to his chin and the bow tossed across the chords. "Please. I have prepared a song for her, and it is meant to be danced to."

Franky rose and did his best to step up to the slight challenge issued to him. Nevertheless, the head scratching and arch in his brow indicated that he was unfamiliar with the sort of dance that accompanied a solo performance on such a refined instrument. "Uh, okay. As long as you know I could end up stepping all over your feet."

"If you do, I will return the favour with a _Gigantesco Mano: Stomp_." She stated, smiling sweetly, most likely using the full name of the move in order to instill both the fear and the image into her dear crewmate.

Given that he had felt the wrath of her meager hands through the use of her powers, the full impact of her words was surely understood.

"All right, Robin. Geez, I was just warning ya. My dance moves are _super_ , you know that." Franky groaned.

The gentle smile returned to her lips as she replied, "I do."

A pressurized sound reached her ears, and immediately her blue eyes looked over his body to locate the source of the mechanical noise. To her surprise, her robotic dance partner had opened the small doors in his palms and offered her his miniature, more human-compatible hands to hold while they danced. It took her a moment to process her options, and she nodded thankfully for his gesture. However, while she took one of his smaller hands in hers, it was interesting to note that the one that was meant to wrap around her back was overshadowed by the size of his larger palm and fingers. It was certainly going to be a unique experience to partner with Franky the Shipwright for a small waltz around the deck of his ship.

Clearing his throat, Brook drew his bow across his trusty instrument and began to sing.

 _Oh, what a lady she is_

 _Elegance in everything_

 _Her love is callous_

 _Her hands make wings_

Their steps were cautious at first, but their embrace was gentle, comfortable and familiar. Franky had tried to watch his feet but he forgot his nerves when he caught the sight of Robin's gaze staring at his chest rather seriously. "What's up?"

"Mm, it's nothing." She said with a flat tone.

"If you're sure." He replied, tilting his head on the oddest angle to imply that he wasn't convinced. The massive sakura blossom design to his hair for the day looked much more like an umbrella when she was so close to him.

Giving into his curiosity, Robin truthfully explained, "I was merely thinking about the day we all reunited after our two years apart. The first time I saw you, I was surprised to see how much you had changed."

Her words struck him somewhat, as evident in his question, "In a good or bad way?" Seeing as how they had barely moved at all in their dance, the many who was a foot taller than her decided to lead her into a small turn off to his right. Witnessing its success, he decided to implement a few more turns in all sorts of directions.

 _Around the world, she goes_

 _Taking with her, her dreams_

 _Into the future she chose_

 _Oh, how brightly it gleams_

Smiling in the hopes of assuaging any of his concerns, she asserted, "In a good way, Franky. You grew at least a foot taller." Her attempt at humour went over his head while he digested her praise.

"Well, of course I got better! I rebuilt myself and got even stronger than before. That's what this crew needed of me right?" She knew the question was rhetorical, given that she herself had traveled with the Revolutionary Army, led by Luffy's own father, and learned a great deal about the world while they were all apart.

"I suppose I imagined that we would all return looking relatively the same."

"You grew your hair out." Franky pointed out instantly.

Robin smirked softly. "That is what I meant by 'relatively'. I know Brook became a rock star and Usopp strengthened his muscles and his lies, but you came back looking completely renewed."

"And you were just as beautiful as ever!" Admitted her dance partner without a hint of hesitation or bashfulness, something she greatly envied in him.

"I am glad you approved of my hair." She teased back as bravely as she could manage.

 _The past, so grandeur_

 _Can take with it, our fate_

 _Stunning, morbid, demure_

 _Her desires still await_

 _If it's there, she will take…_

There was a lull in their conversation, which was filled abruptly with Franky's swift decision to spin her outward and bring her back into his arms. The shock in her eyes was too obvious to hide, and his responded to it with a nearly proud grin; knowing he could cause a reaction in the usual stoic woman seemed to please the man made of machinery. "Ha ha, not bad, huh?"

Robin took a moment to reply to his small jest, but when she did, she felt comfortable enough to say, "You're very fortunate that I didn't end up knocking you over, when you pulled me in."

To her surprise, her words were met with laughter booming from the manufactured gut of Franky. "We'd just have to get up and try again, since I don't know when this song of yours is ending."

"Neither do I, but it's a very thoughtful gesture." She decreed in a gentle tone, knowing very well that she could never accomplish such a feat as writing music for anyone, much less a friend. She admired all of her nakama's talents beyond what she was capable of doing herself, and Brook's musicality as definitely one she envied.

" _Oi_ , those glasses are one of a kind, you know." Mumbled the giant before her, even though he had made his words sound so small in order to avoid being overheard by the skeleton who was playing away on his violin.

 _Smooth to the touch_

 _Just a graze is lethal to any man_

 _Smooth to the touch_

 _Anything you think of, she can_

 _She's so smooth, smooth, smooth to the touch_

 _Except for when you're in her clutch_

He hid his hurt well this time, nevertheless, Robin was uncertain as to whether or not he meant to sound as though he had truly been bothered by her lack of praise towards his invention. "I'm sure that they are, and I will use them when the time presents itself."

"You like wearing those orange sunglasses so now these can replace 'em; they're fashionable _and_ useful to your research at the same time."

"Yes, they will be." Promised the woman who he had the potential to spin again, hoping to soothe him so that he could control the force with which he moved with.

They paused for a moment again, finding that lull in their talks that never felt uncomfortable, before the cyborg's mood perked once again. This time, his words revolved around himself, "Oh, I see. You're trying to think about _my_ birthday, seeing how _super_ my gift was."

Her mouth opened at once to chime in, "I believe Sanji's birthday is first."

Franky hardly needed to think of a response to that. "Just pay him attention and fawn over him once the way he does for you – you're done."

The simplicity of his words earned him an admonishing, "Franky," His brushing off of the thoughtful and devoted chef's birthday was not something she entirely appreciated, even if she imagined that his words were entirely true, "I could decide to give you the same thing I gave you last year."

She had hoped to deter him from his viewpoint and force him to take back his words, however, her gentle scolding only seemed to make him brighten as if he had just made use of his nipple lights. "Hey, I love it when you help me out in the workshop. I get a hell of a lot more done with more hands to go around."

 _Easy on the eyes, devilish to the heart_

 _The living embodiment of the finest of art_

 _Braver than any man who braves the seas_

 _Because she can bring them all to their knees_

 _All you will see are her petals on the breeze…_

Again, for reasons she found trouble distinguishing, Robin laughed. It most likely no longer her birthday given the amount of time she had been outside with the two older men of the Mugiwara, but they continued to make her feel so very special. On days such as this, her past seemed to dissipate within her once darkened mind, for how could she focus on anything other than such jocularity when she was a part of the greatest crew in history? It was something she truly believed, in her heart of hearts.

"Very well then, it's decided then."

Again, the emotional Franky changed his mood without warning. "No way! You can't give that to me if you tell me now. It's like, more than a month away! Now you gotta think _really_ hard about what you're gonna get me, because that's off the table." He sounded as though he had put the foot down, even though they were more so rocking back and forth at this point.

"Is that so? I can't help you out in your workshop ever again than, I suppose." Her tease was expertly hidden by a contemplative tone. It had actually required much more effort to sound blasé about her playing unaware than it would have to simply decree that she would never come to visit him in his private den on the Sunny again. However, something about this man always drew out the ridiculousness in her.

His hair could be the excuse, or his aforementioned nipple lights.

To her surprise, whether he truly missed her humorous intent or was overlooking it in his sincerity, Franky made a decree of his own, "No way! Just come visit me whenever you feel like helping out. The door's always open."

There was nothing too brilliant about that last remark; Usopp and Franky went back and forth between their stations all of the time, and the library – which was hers and Nami's informal workplace – was always open to the rest of the crew, whether they were present or not. That did not detract from the kindness in his gesture, though. In the past, Robin had held an ape beat him in arm-wrestling, only to allow him to carry her in his hands as he moved about in his Shogun form. She had a habit of toying with Franky, but he always managed to care for her in his own abstract way.

And that just happened to be the way she enjoyed being cared for and thought of the most.

"I'll have to remember that." She whispered with yet another grin on her lips, as her song continued to play behind the sweetness of the moment they shared.

 _Smooth to the touch_

 _Just a graze is lethal to any man_

 _Smooth to the touch_

 _Anything you think of, she can_

 _She's so smooth, smooth, smooth to the touch_

 _Except for when you're in her clutch_

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 **Author's Notes:**

Happy Birthday Robin~ First FrankyxRobin fanfic I have ever officially written, so it's just a sweet fluff piece to celebrate our favourite archaeologist. The song was written by me as just an extra tribute to her, given that I don't always have the chance to write about Robin as much as I would like to. This fic dynamic was based off of the fact that Oda-sensei made the three of them stand watch over the city on Zou together as they claimed to be the adults of the crew. Hope you enjoyed!

 _P.S. Brook totes ships Frobin._


End file.
